One of the best perks about moving to this western town is the plethora of bike paths and trails. The whole city is laced with them. From our house, for example, the school lies five miles directly east -- 2 1/2 miles of bike lane on a quiet residential road, followed by 2 1/2 miles of bike trail along the creek. With my husband teaching at the K-12 school they attend, the go-to commute is by bike. At six-thirty every morning (unless the roads are iced over or under more that four inches of snow), the five of them bundle up, click on bike lights, and head out. Ten miles a days has added up to hundreds of miles each this school year, not to mention all of the energy usage (you're very welcome, teachers). Ten miles of winter riding a day has also necessitated some good winter gear -- gloves, heavy shoes, and balaclavas, coupled with a nice batch of scarves. The red/pink/orange one was first for the oldest girl, which prompted a slew of requests. The brown one came second for the second boy. And the blue/yellow/brown one? It's in process for the dad at the request of the oldest girl. Apparently he's been stealing her scarf. I'll take it as a compliment . . .
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Beautiful. They look invitingly soft.
ReplyDeleteI am so very impressed by your family's diligence in biking. Any protests from the kids? How long does the ride take them? I can't wait until my girls can ride along with me, independently. The trailer is getting a bit heavy these days...
the trip takes about 20 minutes with the slight downhill in the morning (the boys ride on their own and can make it in almost 15), and 25-40 coming home (depending on exhaustion levels and the wind). they generally get the sunrise on their way to school, which is incredible out here. the only protests, ironically, come from the oldest one. and only that in anticipation. he readily admits that he feels better the second he's on the bike, and thoroughly enjoys the ride home. kudos go to the bike-addicted husband who is always excited to get moving in the morning (and to the fact that he sporadically hauls the trailer along to bring the girls' backpacks home). of course, 40 degree mornings are a bit smoother than 10 degree mornings, but 95% of the time everyone is pleasant about it. amazingly.
ReplyDeleteI'm simply amazed your family has kept this going into the winter. Warmer months will be such a treat.
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